the_avenue_soapfandomcom-20200214-history
The Avenue Soap Wiki
'' The Avenue ''(acronymised as either 'TA', or by its project code 'AVE') is a Writers Express forum serial drama created in December 2011 by the production company eventually known as Red Lion Pictures (RLP). This company has had several names and staff over the years, but since 2015, consists only of Chloe (once Noxy) and founder Ross. The original version of the project (now retroactively known as The Avenue 1.0) ran for 167 episodes from 19th December 2011-19th December 2016 - exactly five years (although its demise was not announced until a year later, 19th December 2017). This makes it the third most volumous project on WXF in terms of episodes, behind'' (Chloe project) These Days 1.0'' (173 episodes) and unbeaten title holder Uncertain Nights (270 episodes) - a project which also involved Chloe and Ross. In January 2017, RLP relased a statement on Writers Express (known as Lit in 2018) announcing that the project was to 'take an extended break'. However, in a new statement posted on 19th December 2017 - the project's sixth anniversary, and a year to the day since the most recent episode was published - it was revealed that the project had come to an end. This decision was in part due to Noxy and Ross feeling that five years to the day was a good point to draw a line, but also because a brand new version of the project had been in discussion and development for some time, beginning in 2016. Hence, RLP wanted to put the project on ice to make a final decision about whether to continue with the then current version, or start afresh. In the end they chose to do the latter. As such, the original version is now retroactively referred to as The Avenue 1.0, whilst the contemporary version - which began on 20th April 2018 in AVE time but 10th September 2018 in real time - would simply be known as The Avenue. Only seven episodes of this version were published between 10th September 2018 and 4th May 2019. In project time, it was published five times a week, meaning it would've taken over a decade just to get through the first series, at that sort of publication rate. However, a week before WRIXFAs 15, on 24th August 2019, RLP teased a 'major announcement' about The Avenue; this was teased throughout the following week. Then on the night of WRIXFAs 15, on 31st August 2019, RLP announced in a feature that the contemporary version of 'The Avenue' "had not quite worked out as we had hoped" and that, after constructive discussion, had decided that "the project as it stands would develop problems down the line" that they "wished to address at the earliest opportunity", given how early into the project they were. As a result, the modern version was discarded as a pilot run, and is now retrospectively known as The Avenue 2.0 (Pilot Run). In addition, a brand new version was announced, with the first episode beginning the very next day - Sunday 1st September 2019. RLP's intention is to publish two episodes per calender month, on the same date. The contemporary version is known simply as The Avenue; much of it is unchanged from the pilot run, but some characters and storylines have been removed or added. The imagery and branding have also been updated. The project is set in 2020, which means when it started, continuity was actually around seven months ahead of real time. Over time this will recede, eventually falling around four years behind real time in the long term. The original intention was for the project to air four episodes a week in 'AVE time', with the Thursday episode being an hour long and co-written, whilst half-hour episodes would be written individually by Noxy or Ross. However, this was felt to be unviable. Instead, Episode 1 was an hour-long, co-written special, with all subsequent episodes airing Monday-Friday from 18:00-18:30, and independently written except in special circumstances. RLP have said however that occaisonal one-hour episodes will occur when 'big stories reach their climax'. As of Friday 20th September 2019, the number of episodes the project has published to date is 3'. The Avenue 1.0 (2011-16) ''Main article: The Avenue 1.0 The Avenue 2.0: Pilot Run (2018-19) ''The Avenue 2.0: Pilot Run'' was initially an offical relaunch. In this version, episodes aired five times a week in AVE time, with a half-hour run time. However, only seven episodes were ever aired, between September 2018 and May 2019. No more news was heard about the project until 31st August 2019, when RLP released a feature explaining that The Avenue 2.0 had been retroactively rebranded as a pilot run. This is because an all-new version was to launch the following day, 1st September 2019. TA2.0:PR featured several new characters, such as siblings Greg and Lexi Learner, and Feliks Nowak, who were discarded for the contemporary version. The Irish O'Reilly family, a long-running family in 1.0, initially appared in a new form in the TA2.0:PR, but not in the the contemporary version. Early episodes of the contemporary version feature several scenes readapted, or with modified continuity, from TA2.0:PR. Title Card The title card depicts a blurred backdrop of a generic overground Tube station in London. The logo uses the word 'THE', stylised in capitals, stacked on top of the V in the title-case-styled word 'Avenue' in the southeast corner of the title card, a nod to both the soap's London setting, and the southeast of London itself, in Lato fonts. The logo appears atop a semi-transparent, blurry bar which is coloured in several shades of yellow, the project's trademark colour since 2014. The logo is similar to ones used on The Avenue 1.0, as opposed to the radically different one used in the TA2.0:PR, but as rounded rather than pointy. Theme Tune The theme tune to this contemporary version of The Avenue is not one of those used in The Avenue 1.0. It is an instrumental cover version of the song 'When We Were Young' by The Killers (2006). RLP agreed on using a 'warm, jangly and lively' cover version as they felt the original version of this song was 'too rocky'. This song was also used in the 2.0 pilot run. Catford Grove Catford Grove was originally the name of the shopping centre that The Avenue 1.0 was centred around. However, said shopping centre was rarely referenced as time went on, and gradually the name Catford Grove became the name of the suburb of Catford, Lewisham, in which both residents and businesses preside. This remains the case in the project's contemporary incarnation. Births, Marriages & Deaths To date there have been no births, marriages or deaths in The Avenue. Locations The Avenue consists of a wide variety of sets; these principally include the following: *Albion Street bus stops (northbound/southbound) '- adjacent bus stops situated in the heart of Catford Grove *'Call The Shots (bar) '- owned by Nikhila Ganesh and Tom Wilkins, with Vik Nowak a silent partner. Bar staff include Izzie Carwell and Vik's stepson, Alex Mercer *'Castle News (newsagent) '- owned and run by Darcus and Trish Castle, with long-time shop assistant Claire Learner *'Catford Academy (secondary school) '- attended by students including Bobbie Anderson, Jess Westaway and Perry Castle *'Catford Clinic (general practice)' - surgery run by Amanda Carwell, alongside GP Jo Wilkins and medical receptionists Linda Brannigan (full-time) and Nina Anderson (part-time) *'Catford Grove (suburb) '- home to all these sets *'Catford Overground (tube station) '- situated centrally in Catford Grove *'Drop Dead Gorgeous (salon)' - owned and run by Georgia Castle *'Nowak Motors (garage) '- owned and run by Vik Nowak, with mechanic Graham Rossi *'Nosh (café) '- owned and run by Maria Nowak , with part-time waiter Rory Westaway *'The Red Lion (pub) '- owned and run by Charlie and Leyla Westaway, who also live there with two of their three children, Jess and Rory, dog Bella and rabbit Roger. Nina Anderson, Steven Carwell and Yasmin Brannigan all work there as bar staff, whilst Luca Rossi is head chef *'This'n'That (charity shop) '- run by Shirley Wilkins, with part-time shop assistants Doris Carwell and Michael Brannigan *'University of Lewisham Thames (ULT)' - attended by local undergraduates such as Rani Ganesh and Rory Westaway Some sets are either unseen or little seen, but may be mentioned from time to time. For example, 'Albion Street Primary School' which is attended by pupils like Alfie Anderson, Marley Castle, and twins Hallie and Hayden Carwell; 'Radio Thames, a fictional radio station; and ''The Waterloo Arms''''', which enjoys a friendly rivalry with The Red Lion Current Cast (alphabetical order, forename first)